Scientists from various countries have announced a newly discovered endemic species, which is also a new plant genus, in the limestone mountains of Quang Tri Province.
New species Chlorohiptage vietnamensis T.V.Do, T.A.Le & R.F.Almeida – (Photo: LÊ TUẤN ANH).
During the research and biodiversity survey in the Razorback (Con Rồng) and Rockpile (Núi Một) limestone mountain ranges in the Đakrông and Cam Lộ districts of Quang Tri Province, scientists have combined their research to publish a new plant genus, Chlorohiptage T.V.Do, T.A.Le & R.F.Almeida, with the new species representing this genus being: Chlorohiptage vietnamensis T.V.Do, T.A.Le & R.F.Almeida from the Malpighiaceae family, along with another new species in the same area, Glycosmis quangtriensis T.A.Le & Tagane from the Rutaceae family.
The species Chlorohiptage vietnamensis has been analyzed for flower structure and molecular examination. From comparative results, it has been concluded that this is a new species belonging to a completely new genus for the world, with its name derived from the green color of the flowers and its high morphological similarity to the genus Hiptage.
The genus Chlorohiptage is distinguished from other specimens of Hiptage by several characteristics, such as: flower petals ranging from light green to yellow-green (compared to white to yellow), and 9 long + 1 short stamens (compared to 9 short + 1 long)…
Scientists from the Central Institute of Scientific Research, the Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Bac Giang University of Agriculture and Forestry, Can Tho University, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK), Goiás State University (Brazil), and Kagoshima University Museum, Kagoshima University (Japan) participated in this study.
New species Glycosmis quangtriensis T.A.Le & Tagane – (Photo: LÊ TUẤN ANH).
The species Glycosmis quangtriensis T.A.Le & Tagane was first collected in 2022. After more than a year of gathering complete flowers and fruits and examining preserved specimens in museums, the research team concluded that it is a new species for science.
This species is named after Quang Tri Province, the only locality currently recorded for the distribution of this species. This shrub reaches a height of about 1.5 meters, with slightly drooping branches. The leaves are simple, sessile, with elongated elliptical blades, wavy margins, and heart-shaped bases.
The flower clusters appear at the branch tips, with hairy pedicels and sepals, very short and close together. The flowers are bisexual, white, with the presence of essential oil glands on the flower petals. The fruits are spherical, green when immature, and pale pink when ripe, covered with fine soft hairs.
Both new species have been evaluated as critically endangered (CR) according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2012, 2022). Therefore, researchers have been collaborating on conservation breeding and studying the chemical structure and biological activity of these two species.
The discovery of a new plant genus and species in the same area of the Rockpile and Razorback limestone mountains clearly demonstrates the biodiversity of this region.
